Human Habitat for Health & Wellness benefits of the urban forest & city trees Kathleen Wolf, Ph.D. Research Social Scientist University of Washington (Seattle) School of Environmental and Forest Sciences Tree Survival School Holden Arboretum, Cleveland 29 March 2017
the canopy of a city :: benefits & values
STRUCTURE FUNCTION Eco (UFORE) Streets (STRATUM) Hydro Vue tools provided by USDA Forest Service VALUE MANAGEMENT photo credits: Seattle i-tree Training by Al Zelaya
Reducing Stormwater Runoff Image courtesy of the Center for Urban Forest Research
ALLERGENS HEAT ISLAND SOLID WASTE ENERGY AIR QUALITY COMMUNITY IDENTITY SYSTEMS THINKING STORMWATER SOCIAL CAPITAL EXERCISE & FITNESS ACTIVE MOBILITY NOISE WASTE WATER CONNECTVITY PUBLIC ART BMP S BIOTA CULTURAL HERITAGE CARBON credit: American Planning Association
WHO Health Definition A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity (1946)
Determinants of Health Social Determinants
Finding that study......
Green Cities: Good Health www.greenhealth.washington.edu Sponsors: USDA Forest Service, (U&CF Program + Pacific NW Research) University of Washington NGO partners Thanks! to U of WA students: Katrina Flora Mary Ann Rozance Sarah Krueger Research Reviews & Summaries
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Evidence-based Story Health across the Human Life Cyle Cradle to Grave
Discovery: Human Health Benefits Across the Life Cycle 13
Urban Forests and Newborns the natural environment may affect pregnancy outcomes... 10% increase in tree-canopy cover within 50m of a house = lower number of low weight births (1.42 per 1000 births) Donovan et al., Health & Place 2011; Hystad et al., Env Health Perspectives 2014
Hygiene Hypothesis presence of soil bacteria in body, Mycobacterium vaccae = increased seratonin boost immune function may alleviate depression (dirt or Prozac?) Lowry et al. 2007. Neuroscience 15
Eat Dirt!
ADHD Treatments Change in % Population 2001-2010 America s State of Mind, Medco Health Solutions, Inc
ADHD Meds % of Americans Ages 20-44 2001-2010 America s State of Mind, Medco Health Solutions, Inc
ADHD and nature contact 96 children aged 7-12 diagnosed ADD or ADHD Parents gave postactivity attentional functioning ratings (PAAF) 4 measures: Can t stay focused on unappealing tasks (homework or chores) Can t complete tasks Can t listen and follow directions Easily distracted Faber Taylor. 2001. Environment & Behavior
ADHD and nature contact 17 children aged 7-12 with diagnosed ADHD 20-minute guided walks Park Neighborhood Downtown Pre-walk puzzles Post-walk cognitive test Faber Taylor & Kuo. 2009. Journal of Attention Disorders
CDC moderate activity recommendations parks, active living, active transit 21
Shinrin yoku (forest bathing) extensive research restorative experiences workers retirees networked system, 52 bases in Japan complexity - productivity
Sacramento Study :: LIDAR x CHIS data 7,900 adults, 250 m buffer, covariates more tree cover = better overall health = better social cohesion Ulmer et al. 2016. Health & Place. Multiple health benefits of urban tree canopy: The mounting evidence for a green prescription
Physical Activity & Depression Reduction Review of 13 high quality studies exercise recommended for mild to moderate depression people who are willing & motivated associated meditation and mindfulness are important Josefsson et al. 2013. Physical Exercise Intervention in Depressive Disorders. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports 24
Improving Depression 20 adults with major depression walk in a park setting and a built setting 50-minute walks one week apart before-after testing: Mood: Positive and Negative Affect (PANAS) Cognition: Backward Digit Span (BDS) Berman et al. 2012. Journal of Affective Disorders cognitive and affective improvements after walking in a nature setting
Effects of nature window view on recovery from surgery (Roger Ulrich, 1984) Shorter stays Less pain Fewer minor complications Better emotional well-being
Massachusetts General Hospital credit: Frank Oudeman
Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center Stenzel Healing Garden 1997 Rehabilitation Institute of Oregon 3/30/17 LEGACY HEALTH 28
Hospital Staff Respite and Support 3/30/17 LEGACY HEALTH 29
Alzheimer s Disease & Dementia Provide wander gardens & horticulture therapy 10.5% reduction in amount of medications used in dementia facility 30% fewer falls, accompanied by a reduction in fall severity Tim Lynch Associates Detweiler et al. 2009. American Journal of Alzheimer s Disease and Other Dementias www.rph.org/eden.html
Summary: The Goodness of Green nearly 40 years of research critical mass of evidence re: nature & health co-design for co-benefits expanding partnerships and collaboration for conservation
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contributing analysts: Dr. Stephen Grado & Marcus Measells, MSU; Dr. Alicia Robbins, Weyerhaueser
www.naturewithin.info